U.K. chicken gobbles owner's diamond earring

X-ray shows gem stuck in chicken's gizzard

Claire Lennon of Newbury, England, once had a pair of beautiful diamond earrings, but she may have a long wait before she gets to see one of those jewels again.

The earring is currently in the belly of her daughter's six-month-old pet chicken, Sarah, and a waiting game is playing out.

One day, Sarah sat on Lennon's shoulder and snatched the earring from her ear lobe and swallowed it.

She hoped the earring would show up naturally.

"We put her in an indoor cage and I poked her poo for several days, which was lovely," Lennon told As It Happens co-host Carol Off.

She also wrote about her dilemma on Facebook, where her vet, a Facebook friend, found the story hilarious. She provided a free X-ray, which showed the diamond earring was firmly stuck in Sarah's gizzard, where food gets ground up.

"We tried giving her some laxatives, and it didn't work," Lennon said.

The vet said they could operate, but that it would be risky. And if Sarah, who is actually a rooster, dies, the chicken won't be destined for the dinner table.

"She's not an eating chicken. She's my daughter's pet," Lennon said.

Lennon's partner bought her the earrings as a birthday gift when she was a pig farmer, and she had worn them constantly.

If the chicken dies, they could look through its gizzard, but Lennon's not keen on that idea.

Sarah the chicken could live another eight years.

"I've just given up on the earring," Lennon said.

Her story has generated some media interest, however, and Lennon says she'll get paid for her story. She hopes to use the money to fashion a replacement earring.